Power transmission



POWER TRANSMIS S ION Filed April 18, 1942 12/ INVENTOR. 1 -4p 7 *1 Z 36 38 BY Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNiTED STATES PATENT 1 Claim.

This invention relates to machine elements, particularly coupling elements, and more especially a power transmission.

A principal object of this invention is the production of a device of the type specified which is so constructed that power may be transmitted from one shaft to another shaft regardless of the planes in which the shafts may lie.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the type specified which is so constructed that either one or both of the shafts may revolve about a given axis bodily even while rotating to transmit power.

A further object of the invention is the production of a device of the type specified which is so constructed that all parts may be easily, sufiiciently, and properly lubricated.

Further objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention and the particular physical embodiments selected to illustrate the invention progresses, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, and the particular physical embodiments selected to illustrate the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing and the several views thereon, in which, like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, and in which;

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a power transmission means embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device as shown by Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a securer forming part of my invention; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modifled form of construction embodying my invention.

In the drawing, numeral I designates a short length of shaft which I will name, a common shaft. This shaft may be of any suitable or proper material and of a suitable or proper length and diameter to serve the purpose of the invention as herein described. In the particular case illustrated, the common shaft I has a reduced portion on each end thereof, as 2 and 3.

On each end of the shaft I, there is positioned one of a pair of two sets of cooperating gears, one being designated 4 and the other 5. These gears 4 and 5 may be attached to the common shaft I in any suitable or proper manner as by a blind screw 6 and are accurately positioned by abutting shoulders, as 1, formed by the reduction of the end of the common shaft I.

Between the gears, as 4 and 5, are positioned two intermediate members, 3 and 9. Each of these intermediate members is formed with a through bore, as lit, through which the common shaft I extends and each of the intermediate members has an outer surface, as II against which a gear, as l, abuts. The fit between an intermediate member, as 8, and the common shaft i is such that the intermediate member may revolve about the common shaft.

It is preferred to provide a means for attaching the power transmission means to a fixed object. To this end means are provided so to do. This means may assume various forms by which the intermediate members 8 and 9 and the com mon shaft I may be attached to a fixed object, but a preferred form, as shown in the drawing, is to provide a securer I2, which may be provided with through bores as I3 and I4, by which the securer may be bolted to a fixed object.

It is preferred to have the securer cooperate with the common shaft I and the intermediate members 8 and 9 by positioning the securer between the intermediate members 8 and 9, as shown in the drawing. The securer I2 is provided with a through bore IE through which the common shaft I extends and in which the common shaft I may rotate.

Cooperating with each of the gears, 4 and 5, are the cooperating gears I5 and I1. These cooperating gears, I6 and IT, may be provided with any suitable or proper teeth of surface interengaging with the gears 4 and 5, but, whatever their form, the interengaging faces or teeth must be of such form that each of the cooperating gears, as I5, may properly engage with a cooperating gear, as 4, not only when gear I6 is parallel to gear 4 but also when gear 6 has been moved through at least an angle of 90 therefrom to a position as shown in Fig. 1 in dash lines. A preferred form of teeth or interengaging surfaces for the cooperating gears are the hemispherically ended teeth It, cooperating with somewhat hemispherical depressions IS in the gears, as t.

Each of the gears, as I6 and I1, is attached to shafts in any suitable or proper manner. In the preferred form, each gear is attached to the reduced end, as 29, of a shaft, as 2|, abutting the shoulder 22 thereof, by a blind screw, as 23.

Suitable bearing means are to be provided for each of the separate shafts, as 2| and 24. These bearing means are identical and are preferred in the form of a member, as 25, provided with a through bore, as 26, a face, as 21, against which the backface of a cooperating gear, as I6, may

abut and a stop or limiting face 29 on each of the intermediate members as 8 and 9.

The limit of movement of the member when cooperating gear I6 is moved into parallelism with gear 4 is determined by the abutment of a limit face, as 3;], on member 25 and a cooperating limit face, as 31 on an intermediate member, as 8.

If desired, movement of the shafts, as 2|, in one direction may be limited by providing a collar, as 32, secured by a blind screw, as 33, to the shaft and positioned to abut against the end face 34 of the members, as 25.

In order to provide a pivot by which the several angular positions of the faces of cooperating gears, as 4 and It, may be secured, pivot pins, as 35 and 35, are provided, positioned in through bores, as 3! and 38, of cars, as 39 and 40, of members, as 25, and in through bores, as M] and M, of ears, as 4-2 and 2-2, formed on the intermediate members, as 8.

The several contacting moving surfaces in the power transmission device should preferably be lubricated and the interengaging faces of the cooperating gears, as 4 and it, should also be lubricated, and to this end, applicant provides lubrication for the shafts, as 2i, and the common shaft 6 and the inter-engaging faces of the cooperating gears, as 4 and I5.

In each of the members, as 25, a screw threaded cavity, as M, is formed into which a lubrication receptacle of the general nature of the well-known Alemite fitting is secured. A duct, as 45, leads from this cavity M to a reduced portion of a shaft, as 2!, so that the lubricant positioned in an Alemite cup, as 31, may pass through the duct 45 and into the annular space 48 and so be distributed to the interengaging faces at 21 of the member 25 and a cooperating gear, as it, and also may work its way into the journal between a shaft, as 2|, and a member as 25, toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1, to the end 34, thereby properly lubricating all of the moving surfaces pertaining to the members, as 25.

Applicant also positions a similar Alemite fitting 49 on the securer l2 and connects the cavity Ed in which the Alemite bearing is positioned with the duct 5! connecting with a transverse or through duct 52 in the securer i2. This through duct 52 opens at each end in annular spaces, as 53 formed in one face of each intermediate member, as fi. Ducts, as 5%, are formed in each intermediate member, as 8, opening at one end in the annular duct 53 and at the other 1 end opening in an annular duct, as 55, formed in a face of a cooperating gear, as i. The annular duct 55 is connected by ducts, as Ed, to each of the somewhat hemispherical depressions, as l9, in each of the gears, as 8.

Lubricant placed in the Alemite fitting 49 may, by the construction described, distribute itself so as to lubricate the bearing surface between the securer and each of the intermediate members 8 and 9 and also between the securer and the common shaft I. In addition, this lubricant will distribute itself to the engaging faces as, at H,

q U U and also to each of the interengaging faces or teeth of the gears, as 4 and is, thoroughly lubricating all of the engaging but movable parts.

From the description herein before contained it will be understood that the shafts 2! and 24 may occupy any position from that shown in Fig. 1 to a position at least 99 removed therefrom as measured in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the common shaft 5 so that the shaft 21 and its associate parts may be moved from its present position to the limitin position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and shaft 2 may make a corresponding movement.

It will also be understood that both shafts, ill and 2 may be moved in planes at a right angle to the plane including the longitudinal axis of common shaft 5, through 360, and at any one of the positions of these shafts, they may be moved through at least in a plane, including the longitudinal axis of the common shaft I, as herein before stated, so that connections may be made to shafts, as 2! and 2a, or prolongations thereof, passing in any direction in planes at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of common shaft I and at any angle in a plane including the longitudinal axis of common shaft I.

It is also to be observed that the power transmission device herein described is such, that while motion is being transmitted through a rotation of shaft 2! to rotate shaft 2 3 or vice versa, each of these shafts may move bodily around a center which is common shaft I, that is move through 360 in a plane at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of common shaft i.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the fact that the intermediate members 8 and 9 may abut each other without the interposition of a securer, as I2.

Although one particular physical embodiment of the invention and one modification therein has been described, nevertheless it is desired to have it understood that the forms selected are merely illustrative and do not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea and means underlying the invention.

What is new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a lubricated shaft and gear, including in combination: a housing formed with an orifice adapted to receive a shaft; a shaft positioned in the orifice; a gear, formed with gear tooth receiving depressions, said gear being also formed with an annular duct on its face remote from the teeth thereof and communicating ducts from the annular duct in said gear to each depression; a securing member embracing the shaft and abutting a surface of said housing, said housing being movable with respect to said securing member and having an annular duct in said surface and having a duct therein communicating both of said annular ducts; a duct in the securing member opening at a surface thereof and positioned to communicate with the annular duct in said housing whereby lubricant may be fed to the depression on the gear regardless of the rotated position of the shaft.

STEPHEN H. BROOKS. 

